Bound for an adventure

Was it when I stood quaking precariously atop a telegraph pole? Or when I got stuck in a 2ft-wide tunnel? Perhaps it was when I almost fell out of my kayak into a freezing lake.

Or the blindfold obstacle course, the abseiling, the rock-climbing or the waterfalljumping?

Whenever it was, there was definitely a moment when I remembered how it felt to have proper, cobweb-blowing, can't-stop-grinning, life-enhancing fun.

Forget swanky hotels, if you want a holiday which makes you feel like a new person, try an Outward Bound course.

I went on a family course with my cousins Aurea, 13, and Harry, 11, at the Outward Bound Centre on the shores of Ullswater in the Lake District. We arrived at 9am on a freezing Monday, rain sheeting on to the icy, grey lake.

But any ideas of sipping a nice cuppa until the weather broke were soon put to flight.

Before we could blink, our instructors, Beverley and Jo, had us togged up in red waterproofs and out in the Cumbrian air to meet the rest of the group, including Richard, 13, and Ben, 14 - neither of whom looked too happy to be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

We were led to a clearing in the woodland around the centre and confronted with a 20ft pole.

'Right,' said Beverley. 'You are all going to climb that pole, stand on the top and jump for the trapeze. Helmets on, who's first?'

There was a deathly silence. Then brave Harry raised his hand. 'Better to go first, then I won't get scared waiting,' he said, sticking his chin out.

There was a ladder halfway up, then some inch-thick blocks of wood nailed on to the pole, a good stretch apart.

Harry clambered up like a monkey and was soon standing upright at the top. A second later he leapt for the trapeze several feet away and caught it. He made it seem so easy, so I volunteered to go next.

While Harry ran up like a monkey, I was more like a big red koala, clinging with both arms around the pole and scrabbling with my feet. Finally I reached the penultimate foothold - and realised there was nothing else to hold on to.

I would have to put one foot on the top and just push up slowly, only my balance keeping me upright. It was the scariest moment of my life - and I've bungee-jumped from a helicopter.

Finally I made it and, flailing a little, launched myself, successfully, at the trapeze. As I was lowered down, the shouts of praise were the sweetest things I have ever heard. I felt ten feet tall and wanted to hug everyone.

It was my first insight into how Outward Bound can change people's lives, as well as being a heck of a lot of fun.

It is hard to be a cool teenager when faced with something so scary. From the moment Richard successfully completed the challenge, the sulky boy we first met disappeared, replaced by someone ready to give anything a go.

The next event could have been an anticlimax but for the shy Ben it was a revelation. I don't know if it was by design but for the blindfold obstacle course, somehow Ben was at the front.

Holding on to each other, we staggered around the course, following a piece of string.

Communication was key and it was Ben who had to relay the instructions down the line, according to what he found in his path. At first we couldn't hear his whispered commands but he soon got the hang of it.

All this and we were still only halfway through the first morning. The remainder of our course went on in the same way, a mixture of scary and fun while learning all about teamwork, communication and leadership.

My nemesis was the maze of 2ft-wide concrete tunnels buried deep in the hillside. Filthy, damp and pitch black, this was a claustrophobe's worst nightmare. They became so narrow that you had to wriggle like a snake.

I'm ashamed to say I chickened out and escaped through a safety hatch. I felt such a failure but Jo and Beverley couldn't have been nicer. The kids popped out of the end like dirty moles and insisted on doing it again - backwards and without lights. Nuts.

Kayaking soon washed them off, especially since they insisted on taking a freezing dip in the lake.

While on the water we met some of the other kids staying at the centre and, with no awkwardness, we were soon happily mucking around together.

This is one of the greatest things about Outward Bound. It brings together all sorts of people to mingle without barriers.

The non-profit-making centres take mostly paying guests but also children from underprivileged backgrounds, sponsored by corporate hospitality.

At Ullswater there were around 80 such teenagers from Leeds, some who had never been outside the city before and they were having the time of their lives.

Sleeping in dormitories, the centre is spartan, but the surrounding countryside and the opportunities to have fun spectacularly make up for it.

'It is amazing to see how much people can change,' said Beverley. 'I've known unconfident children stride out as leaders and hyperactive troublemakers settle down and make friends.'

Even in our own little group, Ullswater worked its magic. As we left, tired but satisfied, Harry ran to help put away the lifejackets, Richard bantered with Aurea, Ben and his dad went off chatting animatedly - and I sank into a heap on the floor. Next time, I'm signing up for flower-arranging instead.

Family days at the Outward Bound Centre in Ullswater cost £26 per person or £85 for a family of four. Call 0870 513 4227 or visit www.outwardbound-uk.org